When we talk about retaining employees, what we’re really discussing are incentives that are effective and how to operationalize them. Regardless of the organization, having clear and influential mission and values is paramount. Ultimately, it comes down to understanding who has joined your company and why. As to not regurgitate much of what I’ve said in the articles…
Tag: culture
Developing and Growing Corporate Culture
I see some version of the following questions crop up fairly frequently, especially in the startup community, so I figured I’d take a moment to share a few thoughts. The questions go something like this: How should we take steps to implement a healthy corporate culture that will strengthen as we grow? If we’ve taken…
What is Operations at a Startup?
Or, what does a COO, VP, or Head of Operations do at a growing company? Given my idiosyncratic background, having touched a lot of different business functions (product, project management, marketing, people or the dreaded “human resources”, recruiting, talent management, sales, partnerships, client success) and operated as a director, manager, founder, president, and department head…
Startups: The Case For Keeping Things Simple
Yes, this blog is very simple and that’s on purpose. Decluttering and getting back to fundamentals is a theme in my life; and I impart that on this blog very intentionally. What you’ll find below is not a framework for avoiding difficult or complex situations. You will, however, find suggestions for making the complicated seem…
The Startup Environment: It’s A Real Thing
I’ve interviewed, hired, and onboarded hundreds of startup employees. During the interview process, whenever I’m asked, “what should I know about XYZ company?”, I always tell them to be sure they truly want to work at a startup. One person’s baggage is another person’s opportunity. To me, being a part of a startup equates to…
What Incentivizes Your Startup Staff (it’s not really free beer and ping pong)
It’s easy to get caught up in the (by now cliche?) norms of startup life. The standing desks and open-office layout abound in a variety of snacks, catered lunches, breakout spaces, beer, cold brew on tap, and the list goes on. I would never promote getting rid of these perks; I think they’re important. What…
Meaningless Buzzwords Are Killing (what could be) Your Startup’s Culture
Here’s how you can turn company values into a living organism, thriving in an ecosystem that is functional and makes sense. ∞ The crux of the problem: It’s not them, it’s you ∞ A collaborative, team environment sounds nice and is a great buzzword for People, HR, and Recruiting teams to throw out to staff and…